Max Verstappen delivered a masterful performance to claim his and Red Bull’s first victory of the 2026 season during a highly unpredictable Bahrain Grand Prix held at Malaysia’s Sepang circuit. The race, which marked the first event at the venue since 2017, was hosted as an emergency substitute after unrest in the Middle East necessitated a change in venue. Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Race day started well enough, with Malaysians treated to their first race since 2017 thanks to Bahrain paying to hold it at Sepang following unrest in the Middle East.
The afternoon was defined by chaos, starting with a 90-minute delay triggered by a tropical downpour and followed by a series of unprecedented technical failures. During the formation laps, several cars experienced software issues linked to energy management systems—a byproduct of the damp conditions and low speeds. This led to significant confusion regarding the grid order, forcing the FIA to issue a software update to bypass energy constraints before the race could formally begin. It took some time for governing body the FIA to decide the order in which the cars should take the start, after that problem. The key stories of a madcap afternoon were.
Once the action started, Verstappen demonstrated total control. While Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli secured second place, the race proved disastrous for his teammate George Russell. Russell, who had been a primary title contender, was forced into a retirement following a power unit failure. This result leaves Antonelli with an 84-point lead over Russell in the drivers’ standings with only six or seven rounds remaining. Antonelli now leads Russell by 84 points with either six or seven races remaining. The effective death knell for Russell’s already faint title hopes.
Lewis Hamilton staged an extraordinary recovery. After opting for soft-compound slick tyres on a wet track at the start, he dropped to 17th place and lagged nearly a minute behind the leaders. However, by staying out during an early safety car period and executing a series of aggressive overtakes, Hamilton climbed back through the field to secure a podium finish. He successfully passed Isack Hadjar into Turn One following the final restart.
The race saw multiple safety car interruptions, including one prompted by Valtteri Bottas spinning off at Turn 13 and another for Alex Albon’s stranded Williams. The final sprint, a four-lap dash after Albon’s incident, saw Lando Norris narrowly avoid a collision with Russell’s stationary car, which caused him to slide into the gravel and ultimately finish ninth. A lot of people didn’t believe in ‘another win including myself.
Final Race Classification
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Isack Hadjar (Red Bull)
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)
Following this intense weekend, the Formula 1 calendar maintains its rigorous pace with a triple-header that concludes next Sunday, 11 October, in Singapore.
